Leukotrienes: biosynthesis, metabolism, and analysis.

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses biosynthesis, metabolism, and analysis of leukotrienes (LTs). The discovery of the LTs further emphasized the complexity of the metabolism of arachidonic acid in mammalian cells. As the initial report of the occurrence of 5-HETE in rabbit peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocyte, an impressive number of novel structures has been described and their mechanisms of formation have been elucidated in most cases. Chemical synthesis has made possible pharmacological studies on the LTs, which show potent biological activities, and assay methods are at present available. The presence in a single cell type of several metabolic pathways of arachidonic acid suggests complex regulation mechanisms for the synthesis of the various bioactive metabolites. Although their potent pharmacological properties have been clearly demonstrated, only the measurement of the synthesis of these substances under normal and various pathological situations will permit their regulatory functions in the body to be ascertained. Such studies will require a better knowledge of the in vivo metabolism of the LTs and the development of assay methods for stable plasma or urinary metabolites. Thus, it appears that a new field of biomedical investigation has just been opened.